6B SPORTS
SWIMMING & DIVING
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2009
Kansas strives to swim to Big 12 Championship
Jayhawks face top technology, Olympians in Columbia, Mo.
BY HALLIE MANN hmann@kansan.com
Olympians and high-tech speed suits aren't what you expect to see at a college swim meet. But for the Big 12 Conference Championship, Kansas (11-3) will be competing against Texas and Texas A&M, who have their own Olympians, bringing the competition to a new level.
"With the introduction of the speed suits, fast times aren't fast anymore," coach Clark Campbell said. "But this is the level of competition we want to swim against."
At its last meet, against Iowa State, Kansas broke the 200-yard freestyle relay record at Robinson Natatorium.
Thursday
BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIPS EVENT SCHEDULE
Campbell said swimming had finally made it into the technological ase.
Thursday
500-yard freestyle
200-yard individual medley relay
50-yard freestyle
400-yard medley relay
1-meter diving
Wednesday
200-yard medley relay
800-yard freestyle relay
Friday
100-yard butterfly
100-yard freestyle
100-yard breaststroke
3-meter diving
Saturday
200-yard backstroke
100-yard freestyle
1650-yard freestyle
200-yard breaststroke
200-yard butterfly
400-yard freestyle relay
"These may lower our times
200-yard freestyle relay
200-yard individual medley
but the suits don't swim," Campbell said. "The girls will still have to do their stuff if they want to win."
The championship runs today through Saturday in Columbia, Mo. Preliminary races begin at 10 a.m. each day, with finals starting at 6 p.m.
Campbell said that the team had trained all year for this meet and that every training session mattered now.
"It's like Christmas and New Year all wrapped into one for the
swimmers and divers," Campbell said.
"it's really awesome to think about all of the competitions we've done. It's going to be fun no matter what happens."
With senior Maria Mayrovich being the only swimmer qualified for the NCAA Championships, Kansas has one last opportunity this week to get more swimmers qualified.
HANNAH McMACKEN
Senior diver
The past two years Kansas has placed in the top three as a team at the conference championship. Campbell said the team was on the right track to do it again this year.
"If we come out of the meet with some lifetime best
performances and make our goals, the places and ranking will take care of itself", Campbell said.
After finishing as the top-scoring diving squad at the championship last year, Kansas is hoping to
finish this season on a similarly strong note.
"This year we have the same opportunity to do the same if we stay focused," coach Eric Elliott said.
The divers bring in big points for the overall team score, so the pressure is on, Elliott said.
The four divers, sophomore Erin Mertz, juniors Meghan Proehl and Allison Ho and senior Hannah McMacken have set high goals for their last meet.
"They're expecting us to score a lot for the team, but we have our own goals, too." Elliott said.
Despite the pressure, McMacken said she was confident she and her teammates would do well at the meet.
"It's really awesome to think about all of the competitions we've done." McMacken said. "It's going to be fun no matter what happens."
Edited by Jesse Trimble
Rvan McGeenov/KANSAN
Sarah Hettenbach, Abliene freshman, holds a lap sign for Molly Brammer, Blue Springs, Mo., senior, during the 1000-yard freestyle competition at a Jan. 24 meet. The swimming and diving team to the Big 12 Championship this week.
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